Honda’s hybrid SUV hopes are being kickstarted in Europe with this: the CR-V Hybrid Prototype.

The fresh and electrified SUV is also our first look at the EU-spec design, displayed on Honda’s 2017 Frankfurt motor show stand, ahead of an official launch in 2018.

So, this hybrid powertrain…

It’s the first time Honda has shoehorned a hybrid powertrain into an SUV in Europe, with most of its electrified DNA over here stemming from the Insight, CR-Z and the most recent NSX.

The hybrid powertrain is a pretty conventional one; it comprises a 2.0-litre VTEC four-pot petrol linked to an electric motor for drive assistance and a battery pack.

There’s a CVT transmission that sends the shove to the wheels and three drive modes that decide how best to use the available grunt.

EV Drive uses the batteries alone for silent and whizzy movement, Hybrid Drive balances the battery and engine for efficiency and Engine Drive relies on the 2.0-litre combustion engine to do most of the work with a drive motor providing a boost of extra torque.

And the design?

All new for Europe, too. This shape and pointier design is already on sale across the pond in the US, and incorporates bits of the new Civic.

Honda says that the design 'retains the familiar silhouette of the world’s best-selling SUV, with an evolutionary design that is sophisticated and sporty.'

Any other CR-V news?

If you don’t want the hybrid, there will also be a 1.5-litre VTEC Turbo petrol engine available linked to either a six-speed manual or a CVT. Honda confirms that there will not be a diesel CR-V in Europe.

The production version of the new CR-V will hit Honda’s showrooms in 2018.